A patinated bronze bust of a young man

Aimé Jules Dalou (French, 1838-1902) trained at the Petit École in Paris, initailly in drawing, and soon after in the art of sculpture, which became his established field. In 1854 he entered the École des Beaux-Arts, where he trained for a further four years. He was known for his left-wing political sympathies and was involved in the establishment of the Paris Commune in 1871. After his overthrow he was forced into exile in London, where he lived from 1871 until his return to Paris in 1879. In London he frequently exhibited at the Royal Academy and he was given a teaching appointment at the National Art Training School in South Kensington (later the Royal College of Art), where he had a profound effect on the development of British sculpture. The current bust probably represents the son of Dalou's London practicien, Angelo Cartioni.